BiHDS or Indiana. 831) 



(i-iriii-. lull, il also iiKcrs :\ larl--lnrk-hirl-. wliicli is scvcvmI times vv- 

 poatcd (N. A. IJivcls. I'l. xvi.. p. 111). \\iiii< \\v.\y !»'■ looked for with 

 ii.'^ late ill .V{)ril and througli May. Its nests are excavated in dead 

 trees or snau's from 1'^ to 7;") feet np. The openiiii;- is 3 to 34 inelies in 

 diameter, and the excavation is from T to 30 inches deep, bein^ larger 

 al tlie l)ottom, wliich is covered with chips, or, sometimes, sand. .V 

 new one is i>enerallv hnilt each year. They also use a nest or excavate 

 a shelter for protecti<m in severe weather. An eg"' is laid daily. The 

 period of incubation is ahoiit 18 days. In this, as in digging the nest 

 and caring for the young, both l)irds share. Irut one brood is raised 

 each year. 



Tliis is (hr largest Woodpecker in the Tnited States except the 

 I\()ry-I)ill. it-' })o\verful l)ill enables it to tear off tongh bark, and 

 dig deep into trees for grubs, borers and ants. Such is its work. Prof. 

 iV'al examined 23 stomachs, all taken in fall and winter; 51 per cent. 

 of the contents was animal, and 49 ])er cent, vegetable matter. The 

 animal matter was chiefly insects, of which ants, beetles, and wood- 

 IxMiiig lar^a^ formed the greater ])art (I)ulletin Xo. 7. Div. (). and M.. 

 r. S. Dept. .\gr.. ]). 32). 



(Mi. (^KNUsMELANERFES SwAiNSON. 



'. Head and neck deep red or grayish hrown ; back lilack. 



M. erythrocephalus (Linn.). 164 



'-. Head grayish, more or less re(i on crown; back and wings banded transversely 



with black and white. M. carolinus (Linn.). 165 



Suljgenus Melankrpfs. 



164. (JO(i). Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Linn.). 



Red-headed "Woodpecker. 

 Synonym, Redhead. 



AilitU. — Head, neck and breast, crimson; rum]), end of secondaries 

 and remaining under parts, white; back, glossy blue-black; bases of 

 -ecoiuiaries, prinuiries and tail, black. I mwnl iirc — (^'imson parts ic- 

 p laced by grayish-brown. 



Length, 9.25-9.75; wing. 5.30-5. TX>; tail, 3.60-3.75. 



I^ANGE. — Lastern Lnited States, west to Eocky Mountains; from 

 l-'lorida to northern New York. Ontario. Nova Scotia, ^[anitoba. Hare 

 cast of Hudson Kivcr. Accidental in I'tali and Arizona. Wintei's ir- 

 iciiularly tliroughout northern New York. l*ennsvl\ania. Indiana. 

 .Michigan. Ri'ceds throughout its ramze. 



